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Performance & Ground Reference Maneuvers
5 maneuvers · 138 words
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  • Steep turns
    How this maneuver goes - Airplane Flying Handbook
    1. Clear the area, pick a rollout reference, establish entry speed at/below Va/Vo.
    2. Smoothly roll into a 45°–60° bank.
    3. As the bank passes ~30°, add back pressure and power to hold altitude/airspeed.
    4. Hold the bank constant with aileron against overbanking; coordinate with rudder.
    5. Reference nose and wings to the horizon; small pitch corrections while holding bank.
    6. If the nose drops, first shallow the bank, then raise the nose.
    7. Lead rollout by ~half the bank angle; reduce back pressure/power to arrive wings-level on heading at altitude.
  • Steep spiral
    How this maneuver goes - in the handbook's own words

    The steep spiral is initiated by properly clearing the airspace for air traffic and hazards. In general, the throttle is closed to idle, carburetor heat is applied if equipped, and gliding speed is established. Once the proper airspeed is attained, the pitch should be lowered and the airplane rolled to the desired bank angle as the reference point is reached. The pilot should consider the distance from the reference point since that establishes the turning radius, and the steepest bank should not exceed 60°. The gliding spiral should be a turn of constant radius while maintaining the airplane's position relative to the reference. This can only be accomplished by proper correction for wind drift by steepening the bank on downwind headings and shallowing the bank on upwind headings. During the steep spiral, the pilot should continually correct for any changes in wind direction and velocity to maintain a constant radius.

    Airplane Flying Handbook, Chapter 10 — Steep Spiral

  • Chandelles
    How this maneuver goes - in the handbook's own words

    Prior to starting the chandelle, the flaps and landing gear (if retractable) should be in the UP position. The chandelle is initiated by properly clearing the airspace for air traffic and hazards. The maneuver should be entered from straight-and-level flight or a shallow dive at an airspeed recommended by the manufacturer--in many cases this is the airplane's design maneuvering speed (VA) or operating maneuvering speed (VO). After the appropriate entry airspeed has been established, the chandelle is started by smoothly entering a coordinated turn to the desired angle of bank. Once the bank angle is established, which is generally 30°, a climbing turn should be started by smoothly applying elevator back pressure at a constant rate while simultaneously increasing engine power to the recommended setting. In airplanes with a fixed-pitch propeller, the throttle should be set so as to not exceed rotations per minute (rpm) limitations. In airplanes with constant-speed propellers, power may be set at the normal cruise or climb setting as appropriate.

    At the 90° point, the pilot should begin to smoothly roll out of the bank at a constant rate while maintaining the pitch attitude attained at the end of the first 90°. While the angle of bank is fixed during the first 90°, recall that as airspeed decreases, the overbanking tendency increases. As a result, proper use of the ailerons allows the bank to remain at a fixed angle until rollout is begun at the start of the final 90°. As the rollout continues, the vertical component of lift increases. However, as speed continues to decrease, a slight increase of elevator back pressure is required to keep the pitch attitude from decreasing.

    Once the airplane is in controlled flight, the pitch attitude may be reduced and the airplane returned to straight-and-level cruise flight.

    Airplane Flying Handbook, Chapter 10 — Chandelle

  • Lazy eights
  • Eights on pylons

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